The Elves We Love
by Frida VI
Summary: "Tell me about your father. Tell me about those moments that are worth to remember." Elrond urged. In the serenity of the night, the two Elves sat side by side on the walls. The recollection of the Prince gradually came back to life. "It is time for storytelling." Legolas smiled beautifully.
1. Storytelling

This story may seem to be quite similar from what I wrote last time, but it is not the same. I promise. It tells the story from the perspective of Legolas on how he thinks about his father, Thranduil. Anyhow, thank you very much for stopping by. I appreciate it.

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Drifting down while the ethereal moon slowly rose, snowflakes touched the crenellations softly. For many centuries, they had sentineled the border of Rivendell securely. But then, Lord Elrond might not need the fortifications he had built anymore.

On this serene night, Lord Elrond stood there at the top of the walls, embracing the coldness of the night. It was pitch black outside. The lanterns on the walls could not drive away the darkness. However, Lord Elrond could see everything clearly with his watchful eyes. Dancing harmoniously with the cold breeze, shadows on the walls moved swiftly. Beneath the fortress stood withering trees that could not survive through the harsh winter. Lord Elrond knew the time had come. The beauty of this enchanted city was fading. There was no longer eternal joy in Rivendell where the shadow of Sauron moved closer and closer.

All his life, Lord Elrond had lived through storms of chaos. It was not an option for him as the ruler to make this tough decision.

As clusters of stars slowly appeared when the moon hid behind the cloudy sky, he could see the face of his comrade clearly. The expression on the man's face was enigmatic. Elrond could not tell whether he would join him to the Undying lands as planned. Like Elrond, he was also contemplating about his choice.

"At least you should go back to Mirkwood before making this decision." Elrond finally broke the silence.

"What for?" Asked the Prince.

"If you decide to join Aragon in his fight against Sauron, at least you should say goodbye properly to your father. It might be your last chance."

"There's nothing left to talk about between us." He abruptly dismissed Elrond's suggestion.

"I understand that you regret about his decisions, especially in the battle of the five armies. Mistakes were made. But you cannot let your pride comes between you and your king." Listening to the singing of crickets, he paused briefly.

"He is not my king anymore. I do not even know we should call him a king. There's no goodness in him. Now, I have no master. I kneel down for no one, not even the ruler of Mirkwood." Legolas sighed.

"Let I withdraw my words. Forgive me my prince. I might say it wrongly. You can not let your pride comes between you and 'your father'." Elrond reiterated his point.

Legolas became silent. He watched the crescent moon slowly appeared in the starry sky. It soothed his worrisome about the forthcoming chaos. He wanted to put an end to this entangled situation.

"When you said there's no goodness in him. What do you mean, my prince? Does it mean he is not good enough to be your father?"

"That's not what I meant." Replied the Prince.  
"Or does it mean he has never done anything right for you?" Elrond asked again curiously.  
"I don't want to have a long argument with you, my lord. It is complicated between me and my father."

"Young prince, from my experience, memory can be deceptive." Elrond circled around Legolas slowly. He was contemplating what to say.

"We tend to overlook good things about others while concentrating on their faults intensely. Perfection does not exist in the World and even immortals can make mistakes. I am not trying to make any excuse for your father, but I don't want you to regret this moment later in life."  
"I understand that." Legolas bowed.

"Pain is unavoidable in every relationship. But letting the pain ruins your treasured memory is not going to make any change. You should keep every precious moment that are worth to remember in your heart. " Elrond smiled warmly. Looking through the battlements, he saw the icy surface of the vast river Bruinen reflecting luminous light of the moon. In the arms of winter, Rivendell was slowly embraced by the snowfall. The river was turned into a glacier bulwark for this hidden place. It was a good time for an interim rest, Elrond thought.

"Tell me about your father. Tell me about those moments that are worth to remember." Elrond urged.

In the serenity of the night, the two Elves sat side by side on the walls. The recollection of the prince gradually came back to life.

"It is time for storytelling." Legolas smiled beautifully.


	2. Thranduil, The Great

From the vantage point of a small window on the second floor, I could see my father sat on the throne clearly. King Thranduil sat there graciously, listening to every word the counselor said with patience. A stiff voice of the adviser implied that the situation was serious. I heard something about the Orcs and the ring, but I couldn't figure it out what they were talking about. Slowly I leaned closer to the window.

"We must act fast, my lord. There has no time for us anymore to play this waiting game. The flame of war is looming at the border of Mirkwood. We should maneuver our force immediately." A member of the council said firmly.  
I observed my father in every move. Spying on the King was one of my favorite hobbies.  
Slowly my father stood up. The council was immediately in silence, waiting for the decision of the King.

"Then we shall ride to the South. I will lead the army myself." Briefly the King ordered.  
"As you command, my King." The counselor bowed.

In seven days, they rode south. He took a last look at me and smiled warmly.  
"I will be away not for long. For the time being, you should study hard. Listen to everything your mother says and be good to her."

"Why can't I go with you?" My heart sank when he mounted on his elk. I wished I could follow him everywhere, but I couldn't on that day. My legs were too slim, and my hands were too tiny, that's what my mother told me. I was too young, way too young to fight.

"I will come back very soon." He said kindly. I hid my face under his cloak. Tear started to fall while he was stroking my head gently.

"This is not the time to cry, my Prince." He handed me a crossbow.

"I remember you told me once that you want to be the greatest archer in Middle-earth. Well, you are not going to be a successful one if you are lazy like this. Don't you want to be like Aegnor, the great, anymore? " He smirked.

Clutching the bow close to my heart, I started running after my father. I wanted to tell him…I wanted to tell him badly that….  
I ran faster and faster before catching up with my father again at the forest gate. I called his name, but he couldn't hear me.

"Ada!" for the third times I yelled.

"I don't want to be like Aegnor, the great!" Suddenly he slowed down his elk and turned around.

"And what do you want to be, my precious Prince?"

I stood there, enshrouding myself in the darkness.

"I don't think Aegnor is so great anymore! Ada! I want to be like Thranduil, the great! I want to be the king of Mirkwood like you!" I shouted.  
He waved his hand for the last time and smiled brightly. I waved back, but he could not see me from there.

The color of the crystal clear sky was deepened. Gradually the sky turned into mesmerizing emerald green. When nightfall came, it changed into dark blue of sapphire, then pitch black took over the atmosphere. Like a morning mist fading when the sun rose high, I took a glimpse of my father's shadow disappeared slowly behind the walls on his war elk.

"I want to be like you, Thranduil, the great." I whispered.


	3. I'm coming back, My Little Prince

Hello everyone! To celebrate this Easter, I upload this chapter for you guys. Hope you all are having a great time during the break. For me, everything is great! Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it.

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"Is he here yet?" I asked while my mother tugged me in bed gently.  
"Very soon, my love," she kissed me before singing a sweet Sindarin song.  
I heard trees rustling while the cold wind of the night was breathing through the forest. Suddenly I heard a sound of gallops.

"Is he here yet?" I asked again. I got up, peeking through the window. All I saw was the darkness that covered Mirkwood.

"Your father will be here tomorrow. Just take a rest, my little Prince," my mother affirmed me.  
"I can't. I want to see him now," Disappointing, I buried my face into the pillow.  
"One sheep, two sheep, three sheep." I started counting sheep to get to sleep.  
"I am so bored!" finally, I exclaimed. Jumping up and down on the bed, I was too excited to see my father. I wished I could just use some magic tricks to skip the time to the following morning.

My mother laughed sweetly. She took me in her arms and held me tightly under the blanket. Softly she patted my head to calm me down.

"Do you think he will bring me any gift from the south?" whispered to my mother's ear, I woke her up again. She smiled beautifully before sitting up next to me.  
"What do you think?" She grinned.  
"I think…of course!" I held my mother's neck and started kissing her forehead gently. In return, she kissed me back on my cheek softly.  
"What do you want as a gift, my Prince?"  
"You know exactly what I want!" I hid my face on her lap.  
"An elk!" we both exclaimed the same word.  
"Tell me why do you want an elk?" she lean her forehead on mine while asking me the question.  
"So that I can ride it around to kill Orcs like my father!" I shouted boldly.  
"What a strong prince! You will be a good king for sure." She giggled.  
I suddenly blushed by her comment.  
"I really mean it, mother! Don't laugh at me! I will a great king like my father," I looked at my mother intensely. She started giggling again.

"Please, don't give me that serious look. I know you will, my Prince. Forgive me if I unintentionally insulted you." She dandled me on her knees.

"But being a good king is not about killing Orcs or Dwarves. Having a war elf is not going to make you become a great king neither," she smiled beautifully again while rubbing my head.

"What do you mean by that?" I was confused by her expression.  
"Well, you should ask your father by yourself tomorrow. Get some sleep. Otherwise, you may not able to wake up early to see your dad in time."  
"But I think he may arrive tonight! I will wait for him a little longer," I didn't give up my hope to see him.

"Just a little longer, but not too long. Promise?" we linked little fingers before my mother went back to bed. I still ran around my bedroom for a couple of hours, listening to every sound outside carefully. My father's coming back. My father's coming back. I was overjoying to see him.

Eventually it was too late for me to stay up. Slowly I crawled on the bed and wrapped myself with the blanket. I rested my head on my mother's breast to feel her heartbeats.

Before I slowly sank into sleep I could hear the serene voice of my father calling me at the forest gate. Legolas I'm coming back. I'm coming back for you, my little Prince.


	4. The Dragon

* The sentence in the star is the famous quote of Gandalf in LOTR* For this chapter, I got my inspiration from a children book "Guess How Much I Love You" by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram. It is a very sweet story about two hares, father and son, telling how much they love each other. Not really related to this fanfic, but some how I personally imagine Legolas and Thranduil as the hares. I do believe that they love each other so much. Anyway, thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it.

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"Knock, knock!"  
"Who's there?" barely opening my eyes, I asked.

Being half-asleep, I could see the reflection of the moon glistening on the surface of the Enchanted River through my bedroom window. It was too early to jump around. Before realizing who was behind the door, I stretched out, sprawling across the bed for a while, watching the moon slowly disappear.

"A bad dragon," he replied. It was the familiar voice I was waiting for.

"Shhhhh! Be careful! Don't let the dragon find you," putting the blanket on me, my mother told me to hide quietly.

"Come on, my little Prince. Let me in. I have a gift for you."  
"Don't try to fool us! We don't believe you!" I shouted while hiding under a pile of pillows on the bed.

"Who's afraid of a nice dragon? I mean no harm to you. Come, come, my Prince. Come out wherever you are."

"Noooooo! You are not! You told me you're a bad dragon! You lie to me!" I yelled.

The door was slowly opened. Under the bulwark of pillows, I could see his shadow moving further and further. Suddenly my heart was pounding so fast that I couldn't catch my breath. It was like hiding from the fierce dragon in the fairy tale my father told me every night.

"Legolas," the serene voice was calling me.

I kept silent, shutting my eyes.

"LEGOLAS!" he shouted again.

Still, I kept silent, pulling up my blanket tightly.

"Legolas Thranduillion!" he called me for the third time.

I finally ran out of patience while waiting for him to catch me. The dragon was too slow, way too slow for me. I jumped out of the bed, grabbing him from behind while he was struggling to fight against my tickle attack. Holding me up with his strong arms, my father tried to tickle me back.

"Nana! Help!" I cried for backup.

"I can't! The dragon is too strong. I will retreat, my lord!" my mother suddenly ran out while I was screaming for help.

The only weapon I had left to protect myself was a silky bolster. I hold it like a sword while my father cornered me with a goose feather pillow.

"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"* he shouted. I could feel my sweat drifting down on my face. The situation was so intense to the point that I was about to faint. It was the matter of life and death! To fight or to die in glory in this pillow fight! We both knew that we nearly ran out of tactic to fight each other. The room was in silence while I was circling around my father. Finally, I threw my bolster directly to my fierce enemy. It hit my father's head point-blank. He collapsed on the floor. I declared my victory when he waved his hand as a surrender sign.

"I surrender, my lord. Please spare my life!" he burst out laughing, showing his beautiful white teeth.

My mother suddenly ambushed me from behind. She tickled me and laughed lightly when my father put me on his lap.

"Do you miss me as much as I miss you?" my father asked. His voice was enchanting as always.

"Ada! Of course, I miss you soooo much." I couldn't stop myself from jumping up and down with joy.

"How much?" he urged.

"Really, really much!"

"This much?" he opened his arms widely.

"As much as the sky ends," I replied.

"Tell me everything about your journey to the Wonderland!" I reminded him to tell me about the bedtime story he hadn't finished. Slowly I climbed up and sat on his broad shoulders.

"Now, you are my elk. Take me to your Wonderland!" I commanded. Both my parents burst out laughing immediately.

"As you command! My King!" my father started galloping through the room enthusiastically. For the first time, I really felt like a real king on my father's back. He's tall, really tall like the invincible fortress that guarded our lands for thousand years. I felt like I could conquer the whole World if he's with me.

"I'll tell you everything later, my Legolas. Moreover, you don't need a fake elk anymore."

We sat down on the floor while my mother was holding something in her arms.

"Is that?" I asked and my father nodded.

"Your gift," he smiled.

"Noooooooooooo!" I screamed loudly.

"Why? You don't like him?"

"Ada, really?"

"What? Tell me what's wrong?"

"He's so tiny," I stared at the helpless deer my mother was holding. He was so skinny that I could see the bones under his skin.  
"He's young, just like you! But, he will grow up to be a very strong elk. Just give him some time. I found him in the forest a few days ago. Apparently, his mother abandoned him so he hid under thick grass frightening and alone."

"What a poor baby!" my mother cried out. She sang a beautiful song for the deer. I gave my father a disappointing look while he was trying to explain.

"Look, you told me you want to be a great king like me. Right? Then your first task is to raise this poor deer and make it follow your order. If you can't do that, you can't be a good king."

"How's that?" I asked with frustration.

"I'll tell you later when you're ready," he patted my head.

"Now, give the deer some milk," he ordered me while handing me a milk bottle. For the first time, I learned how difficult it was for my mother to raise me. The deer refused to drink. He hid his face under my mother's arm, trembling with fear.

"What I have to do?" I asked, taking a glance at my father.

"I don't know. It's your job to take care of him, not me," he smirked.  
Wrapping the deer in a blanket, I held him close. I could see his tear falling down like raindrops.

"I think he needs some storytelling," I suggested. My father nodded as an approval. Slowly, the deer closed his eyes, listening to me.

"Once upon a time, there was a giant dragon living on the Lonely Mountain," I started the story.


	5. The King of the Universe

The flimsy canopy walkway bounced back and forth when I tried to cross over. At the end of the path, laying a citadel long deserted by the Dwarves. I tripped over my legs twice, nearly falling down to the endless abyss beneath the escarpment. I turned to my father, asking for help, and he offered me his hand. When we reached the gate, it was getting dark. King Thranduil lighted up a torch to cast away the gloomy atmosphere. The metal gate swung open by itself with an eerie sound. Not a good sign, I thought.

"Should we wait for—" I asked.  
"Quiet," he interrupted, "We don't want to wake him up." Cautiously my father lighted the lantern at the main entrance with the torch, and then we lurked inside.

The cold breeze, mixed with a rotten smell of fresh, hung in the air. The first room we entered was large enough for a hundred men, but it wasn't enough for the dragon. There was nothing left there, only the remnant of glory that was long forgotten by the outside World. At the end of the hall, there he was, resting peacefully on a pile of gold and diamond. His scales glowed in the dark, emitting a sparkle of light every time he moved his gigantic tail. Leaning forward to get a closer look at him, I was mesmerized by the ethereal creature.

"Hand me the arrow," Thranduil whispered. Stunned by the charm of Smaug, I stood still. "I don't want to do this," he said, "it's too cruel to kill an innocent animal."

Raising his eyebrow, my father gave me a harsh looking face. "Innocent? Have you lose your mind? Be quiet and do what I said," he commanded. Carefully my father moved swiftly across the hall. He tried his best to remain calm, but his hands were shaking. Sweat slowly drifted down on his face as he pulled the bowstring back. The chance was slim, but he must carry on his plan.

As my father pointed the bow toward the dragon, I could not help myself from turning away. It was an unbearable pain to see the dragon die. The poor creature still didn't move.

Releasing the arrow, my father rustled a prayer. "The Mighty God, our Lord, please, protect us from evil spirits," Thranduil said, "In the name of Eru, the creator of Middle-earth, I command you to go back to hell. By the power of… " He suddenly paused. Something was wrong. He could sense it. A raucous scream of someone outside interrupted us. He turned back, looking for me, but all he saw was darkness. He breathed heavily, struggling to keep calm. "Legolas, where are you?" he shouted, "I need your help now." He shot the second arrow, but it didn't piece through the dragon's heart.

Slowly Smaug stood up. He looked deep into Thranduil's eyes and smirked. "Long time no see, my Lord," he said, "it is my pleasure indeed to see you here."

"Run, Legolas!" my father said.

"Thranduil, don't you miss me?" asked Smaug.

My father ran toward the exit. His heartbeat was rising when he realized the door was locked.

In the midst of chaos, I jumped from the corner of the hall, grabbing the dragon's neck, and started stabbing him with a dagger.

Groaning in pain, the dragon struggled.

I turned a somersault and landed perfectly on the ground. "Smaug, you leave me no choice," I drew the sword and walked back. "I never want it to end like this."

"And you also leave me no choice," Smaug said, "Let's finish what we started." He spurted out fiercely fire at me with no mercy. I jumped swiftly and covered myself behind a stone pillar.

While the dragon chased my father to the corner, I grabbed my bow and pulled the bowstring back. "Goodbye my old friend," I whispered. My guilt eventually subsided. Duty must come first, I told myself. The arrow I shot pierced through the dragon's heart, executing him instantly.

My father came out from the hidden place, running to hug me. "My dear son, you are the greatest of the greatest warrior of Mirkwood," he said. "No, you are more! Legolas, you are the true king of Middle-earth." He kneeled down to worship me.

"And then I was crown to be the king of the entire universe. That's the end. Is that a great story?" I patted the deer's head.

Sat by the fireplace quietly for a long time, my father finally broke the silence. He gave me a black look, raising his eyebrow to disapprove my story. "I admire your imagination," my father finally interrupted, "but it never happened,"

"Shh, don't wake the deer up," I said. "He almost falls asleep before you interrupting me."

He giggled and then held me up. "It's time to bed," he said, " Your mother is waiting." He closed the door behind, and we went to our bedchamber to sleep.


	6. The Casanova

Hello, hope everything goes well for you, guys. This is a new chapter of my fanfic. I reread the story and found a lot of errors in previous chapters. I will try my best to correct them when I have time. Please kindly bear with my poor writing skill for now. I'll fix them as soon as possible.

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"Are we there yet?" I peeled my cloak off. My pastry skin turned flushed as the morning sun rose high. The heat was unbearable, not including the slippery pathway to the mountain. "My feet…Oh! My poor feet! They are swollen! I can't walk anymore, father, I am a cripple." I laid my head on my knees, crying for my father's attention. My feet were fine, but I just wanted a break.

"I thought you love adventure," he rubbed the tip of my nose. "Just across this hill. Pass the glade, and—"

"You told me two hours ago that we're almost there." I reminded him. He squatted, kneeling down to wrap rubber bandages on my toes. "These will help you walk better," he said, "come on. We need to get there before nightfall." I had wanted to see the dragon roared, the real one, not in the story. I had begged and begged and begged. And finally he agreed to take me to Erebor, only for peeking through a hole of the mine's rooftop, but not for more. But now, all I wanted was a good nap. I pursed my lip and sat still.

Turning his focus to the deer, my father forced him to walk. He grabbed the bridle, trying to lead him further. The deer dragged his feet away from my father while he pulled him forward. The deer, too, refused to walk.

Finally, my father gave up. He dropped himself to the ground, sprawling next to me face down, the same posture with the gigantic tiger skin rug we had in our living room. "All we need now is —," he said.

"Food…" I finished the sentence with a sluggish voice. The blonde Elf in the silver cloak who rested on his belly like a four-leg animal still wasn't moving so I shook him and then dragged his arm around. My father pretended to be dead. I rubbed my eyes before crawling on top of him and laid down there, listening to his breath. "I'm starving," I whispered in his ear.

The deer, too, mooched for food. He started chewing my hand as a sign of hunger. Better not letting him starved for too long; otherwise the poor creature might decide to have me as his lunch for real.

My father sat up and grabbed a branch of an oak tree he found in the field. And then he bundled his golden hair with the branch, showing his bare long neck underneath. Two red lines of sunburn on his flawless skin marked on the back of the neck. I ran my fingers on them gently, blowing air along to soothe the burns.

"Lembas?" my father said, "or a piece of honey cake?" He fumbled with his picnic basket.  
"I'm craving for something's sweet. Honey cake, please."  
"And drink?"  
"Miruvor, of course," I replied.  
I found my place to sit on raspberry sprigs surrounded by tufts of short green grass. The ground was warm and moist. I slowly bent over and sat down as my father prepared our lunch. Some silvery butterflies danced over where the flowers bloomed. A wolf poked his head from behind a spruce and then hid back when my father threw a rock to chase him away. The spruce curtsied gently while the high wind breathed through the forest. At the end of the glade, two beautiful peacocks glided graciously. I watched them waltz around, exchanging their greeting like lovers.

"You haven't named your deer yet," my father said.  
"Oh, about that…"  
"What?"  
"I think…may be…I'll name him," I answered, "Elrond, or something."  
"Elrond? Really nice name, but why Elrond?"  
"He's dumb and slow." I stopped eating for a moment to wipe my mouth with the sleeves.  
"Elrond must be sad if he knows." my father chuckled.  
I tilted my head to the side. "Just kidding. Elrond is one of my favorite heroes," I said.  
"Or should we call him…Celeborn?" my father suggested.  
"Why Celeborn?" I asked.  
"He's arrogant and self-center." He smirked before biting the honey cake. "I hope he moves his people elsewhere."  
"But the lady of the light is kind. I don't want them to move away," I said. My face turned rosy while I mentioned about Galadriel. I laid my hand on my heart to catch my quickening heartbeats.  
"Don't tell me— You like her!" my father pointed his index finger at me. "So she's your first crush? My Eru! You don't know what you're dealing with. Besides, she's old enough to be your grandmother!" He dropped himself on the ground, raising his legs up to the sky while burst out laughing.  
"What?"  
"What?" he repeated my question sarcastically.  
"You don't like her?" I asked.  
"Yes, of course. Everybody adores her, but, in fact, she— is not always sweet as you may think," he said. "Just so you know, that witch has very ill-tempered."  
"How's that?" I said.  
"Well, I don't know. She can be unpredictable sometimes so beware. There's an old Elf saying don't wake up the dragon lady. She is far worst than Smaug. Don't piss her off. Repeat, DON'T PISS HER OFF! If I were you, I would take the advice," he said. "Anyway, I've invited them to the feast in laer. Elrond, Celebrían and Arwen will come too."  
"Arwen?" I touched my heart again as it beat faster.  
"Don't tell me you also like the girl! My Eru! How many girls do you have in your heart?"  
"You told me to look out for the lady dragon, I say beware of the real Casanova. I am far more dangerous," I grinned and then shrugged.  
"Shall we go, then, my little Casanova?" he said.  
"I am so tired. Let's go home." I wrapped the leftover with my handkerchief and put it back into the picnic basket. "Leave the dragon behind. The ladies are far more interesting."  
"As you command, my lord." He bowed before yanking me up with his strong hand. "Let's go home," He repeated. We sauntered through the high grass, back to where we came. And that's how our first journey to Erebor ended unsuccessfully.


	7. Where Flowers Bloomed

I'm so sorry to disappear for quite a while. I'm working on my thesis and it's my final year so everything just goes crazier and crazier for me. The song Thranduil sings in this chapter is called " Lacrimosa". It's a Mozart's song that I really like. Anyway, hope everything goes well with you, guys. Thanks for stopping by. I really appreciate it.

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My father left his footprints on the sodden ground along as we walked through the wood. I put my feet on his footsteps to measure the sizes of our feet along the road. It's incomparable.

Summer had started and it declared the coming of the season by painting rosy color on leaves above the hill.

He pointed his finger to the glade and smiled. "There, where flowers bloom," he said.

"Daisy, I like it, especially the white," I said. "She loves me, she loves me not," I said while plucking petals of the flower. As I hopped through the golden meadow, I could smell a sweet scent of ripe peaches hung in the air. We stopped under a peach tree and my father held me up. I pulled a large yellow peach down and handed it to him.

"Sweet and warm, just like your mother," he said while tasting the fruit.

We reached the enchanted river by noon. The sun poked his face out from thick spruces, emitting a ray of light cutting through the forest. The river tide moved slowly as if it had been half awakened. I put one foot into the river to feel the coldness of the water. Downstream, a gigantic granite rock surrounded by immense calm water stood in silence. We jumped on it and sat there, listening to the sound of waterfalls. I could feel the warm breeze above us. My father made me a fish rod from a spruce branch and taught me to angle for salmon from the edge of the rock. "Be still. Be patient," he whispered as if the fish could hear us. "Go where they are."

"Where?"

"Where the deep and the shallow water meet." He said.

"Over there?" I asked.

He nodded. "Hold the rod with one hand. Bend your arm and cast the line," he said, "good, just like that. See?" he wrapped his arms around me and laughed with his mouth wide open when I successfully caught the fish. I stood on the rock while my father squatted down to pull the rod up. There was an orange fish at the end the line.

"That's not a salmon?" I said. "What is it?"

He sat on his heels while examining the fish with his curious eyes. He raised his eyebrows and shook his head. "I have no clue."

"What should we do?" I asked.

"We let it go."

"What?" I tilted my head sideways.

"It belongs to the river." He got up and released the fish back to the river. It dived down and disappeared.

I waded into the stream, looking for starfish and seaweed.

"No chance, they live in the sea," he said. "You may find them in the outfall."

"What about seagulls?" I asked.

"They live close to the sea shore."

"Oh, no seagull around here," I said, "so this river is not so enchanting after all."

"Come on, let's go." He turned his head toward the other end of the river. He held his breath and swung his arms up in the air. "Let me show you around." He grinned brightly and crouched down like a tiger. "Are you ready?" he asked.

I took two steps forward and nodded.

"Let's go," he said.

We dived into the river. The deeper we went, the deeper turquoise color of the river was. There, bullheads, carps, eels and graylings. "Hello?" I said. They swam past us without caring to say hi. I waved to pikes, salmons, tenches, and trouts, but they neither seem to care.

"There." My father pointed out.

An angry sturgeon twirled his tail as we approached him. His eyes popped out of the head. I touched his silver fin and he gave me a black look. Don't mess with me, he shouted with his dark eyes.  
My father waltzed with a group of Zanders while I shook hand with a pinky blue coral reef. We said goodbye to them before swimming to the riverbank.

"Are you tired?" he asked and I nodded. My father carried me on his back. As we reached the shore, he hummed a song along in a melodious tone. "Full of tears shall be that day. On which from ashes shall arise. The guilty man to be judged, therefore, O God, have mercy on him." I pressed my ear close, listening to his deep voice.

He put me gently on the ground as we reached the shore. I looked around. There was a birdsong coming from the valley. I stretched up to see. "A sweet Robin," I told my father. Her big black eyes stared back at me. "I'm Legolas, the prince of Mirkwood." She turned her head to the side when I introduced myself.

"What a lovely girl you are," my father said. She curtsied and sang a love song for us.

Right there where flowers bloomed, there was a crown of pink blossoms surmounted by an old willow.

"Wait here," I said. A few minutes later I came back with a floral crown.  
"I made this for you."

He kneeled down. "Thank you. Le hannon," he said, "but what it's for?"

"To celebrate the coming of laer," I said, "and to thank you for taking a good care of me all along."

"You don't have —"

"You are wonderful, ada."

He smiled beautifully while his eyes were full of tears. "You are a gift, my child. You are the grace of Eru. You touch my soul the way that nobody else does. You give back my life. In you, I find my strength."

"Likewise, father," I said.

"Legolas?" a sweet voice called my name from far away. "Legolas? It's time for dinner." There my mother was at the end of the glade. "I told you two not to go far."

We lengthened our steps as we approached her.

"Can't we walk around for a while?" My father asked.

"It's getting late,"

"Please." he begged and held her hand tightly.

"Please," I said.

"All right." She finally gave up. "But make sure you two come home before seven. And don't go near the river again."

"I promise," my father said. We looked at each other and grinned.


	8. Before The Arrival of The Lady of Light

My father paced back and forth, rehearsing his welcome speech for the last time. By then he had practiced his pronunciation in front of a mirror for hours.

I grew tired of his ignorance so I jumped up and down, trying so hard to get his attention. "There's a monster behind you!" I made up a story, but he still didn't turn to me. "There's a stinky dwarf under your bed!" I said, still he focused on his speech, not hearing what I said. "There's a—"

"An annoying elf follows you around," someone said from behind.

I looked back and there's a little girl with dark hair hiding behind the door. "Arwen," I said bitterly.

My father smiled brightly and held her up. He kissed her on the forehead then turned to Elrond, or you, who just walked into the room, carrying a bottle of wine in your hand. "You are too early,"

"Galadriel sent me before to check that everything's perfect," You said. "Everything must be perfect," you stressed again with a stern voice.

"Alas! I know! I know! You don't have to tell me twice!"

You burst out laughing and sipped your wine.

"How much have you been drinking?"

"A couple of glasses," Elrond said. You bumbled around the room and landed on my father bed, sprawling.

"Are you sure?" My father put his hands around his waist, demanding an answer.

You rubbed your red face with the palm. "No need to be worried. I'm fine." You waved your hand and buried your face in my father's pillow.

"Can I beat him up again?" Arwen pointed her finger to me. She mentioned about last time we met in Rivendell. She had challenged me to fight then she hit me with a long stick.

It was the worst nightmare for me to get beaten up by a little girl. I frowned and clenched my teeth, but before I jumped on Arwen my father had pulled the hem of my cloak so I stepped behind him.

"He's your friend. Don't be mean to him," Elrond said, "Although he's weaker than a girl—"

"Excuse me?" My father raised his voice.

"I'm just kidding, my lord," Elrond said. "Let's go checking the banquet halls."

Arwen hissed and crossed her arms when my father put her down on the floor.

I pulled her hair from behind and she bit my hand. Our fathers laughed out loud when we started hitting each other with pillows. Another war to fight for, I thought.

When we reached the grand hall, everybody was running around, arranging the table for the guests.

My father screamed at the top of his voice, calling for the butler. "That flower." He pointed his finger to the wood table in the middle of the room. "Throw it away. It's already withered," he said. "And these spoons! Who told you to put them here!"

I handed a silver spoon to my father and he shook his head. "Not elegant enough," he said. I gave him a copper one and he pursed his lips, crossing his arms. "Nice try, but no. Give me the golden one."

"You need to calm down," Elrond said, "Otherwise—"

"But nothing is ready! She will be here in an hour," my father shouted, "I'm dying, I'M DYING. Don't you get it?" He arranged the flowers on the table again. "White Lily? Who told you to put this funeral flower here? She might take it as an insult. Hey, I need a hand, please."

You gave a bouquet of white roses to my father while sipping your wine. "Whatever happens you need to stay calm. Remember, take a deep breath and smile brightly as usual. She's not that terrible." You tapped my father on his shoulder. "And don't forget she can read your mind so she knows how hard you try to please her."

"And that's what I worry the most." My father dropped his head.

"If you have nothing to hide—"

"Everybody has something to hide," my father said.

"Well…I know what you mean." You grinned.

"It's like she pick my brain for every detail of my life. If I resist, she will press me more until my eyes pop out, " my father said, "I'm a dead man. I AM A DEAD MAN."

"I have some tricks if you want one. Count numbers from one to ten. It works for me."

"Drop dead boring," my father said.

"Then be creative. Count sheep, wolf or deer if you like. It doesn't matter," Elrond said. "The only thing you must remember, don't think about anything inappropriate. She can hear you loud and clear."

"And that's what I hate the most about her." My father rubbed his face with his silver handkerchief. "You know how hard it is to dismiss those ridiculous thoughts. The more I try to suppress them, the more I think about them."

"I know what you mean," Elrond said again, "It's just come into your mind without warning. Like you are in a middle of a conversation, and you start to drift into la-la land. Then you wonder what kind of panty she's wearing. Granny? High-cut? Boy-shorts? Or thong? What's its color? Blue? Red? Or black?"

"What? I never— Elrond! She's your mother-in-law! What a creep!"

"I'm kidding. Just give you an example of what might happen." You smirked and put your arm around my father's shoulder. You was too drunk to make sense what you just said.

"And now, you ruin everything. All I think about for the whole evening will be about that!" my father shouted, "You plague my mind." He dropped himself on the ground and hid his face on his knees.

You grinned wickedly. You swept a bead of sweats on my father's forehead with your sleeve and put your hand on my father shoulder. "Be confident, my king."

"Easy for you to say," my father said. "Actually, I don't need to invite her here at all."

"Of course, you have to. No one can live alone forever. You need allies."

"Just let me die here alone," my father said, waving away his hand.

"Not yet, not until we open the last bottle of red wine." You raised your wine's glass in a toast to my father. "Long live the king."

In a panic, the butler ran into the room, followed by a group of guards. "You majesty, she's here."

You yanked my father up from the floor and whispered into his ear. "Don't think anything weird, OK?"

And my father frowned then nodded.

* * *

I'm terribly sorry that I wrote this chapter very slow. I'm taking a long vacation to participant my brother's wedding in another country so it's so hard to find time to write. The event just ended yesterday so next week I'm flying back. Hope everything goes well for you all. How's everyone?


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